Chicago company's trademark suit against Facebook delayed

The logo of Timelines Inc., the company that has charged Facebook with trademark infringement.

A trademark infringement suit by Chicago-based Timelines Inc. against Facebook Inc. has been delayed.

Bloomberg News reported the delay in the trial scheduled to begin Monday in federal court in Chicago. It said the judge gave no explanation.

Timelines Inc. filed the suit in late 2011 over the use of its name in the social network's feature.

In a regulatory filing in February, Facebook described "Timeline" as a tool that "allows people to organize and display the events and activities that matter most to them, enabling them to curate their memories in a searchable personal narrative that is organized chronologically."

The Chicago-based Timelines is a Web site that enables the public to record and share history. Its lawsuit said that it first applied for the Timelines mark in May 2008.

Timelines is seeking damages, among other things.

Facebook described the Timelines case as "without merit" and said it would defend itself "vigorously."

Timelines' president, Brian Hand, founded ShopLocal in 1999 and sold it to several media companies in 2004, according to his biography on Timelines.com. Before founding ShopLocal, he spent 16 years in the venture capital and investment banking industry.